Sullivan’s opening signals spring in South Boston

Visitors braved the wind, cold, and slushy snow to grab a meal at opening weekend for Sullivan’s on Castle Island.

Opening weekend for the South Boston institution, when the stainless steel grills awake from a months-long hibernation, signals the imminence of spring. But, here’s the funny thing about a February spring in New England — it comes with icky, icy, snowy weather.

Billy Ryan of Dorchester bit into his second hotdog of the day.

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Dan Sullivan Sr. started selling hot dogs out of an aluminum shack for 15 cents in 1951, when color television first hit the airways. Two buildings and 62 years later, Sully’s is still family-owned.

Kellie Keenan of Dorchester wiped down the glass on the doors for Sullivan's.
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Robin Anglin of Southie carried out an order for herself and her family.

“Sully’s is the best cure for a hangover,” Robin Anglin told her cousin and sister as she waited for her cheeseburger with mayo and ketchup and a hot dog “all around.” (For the uninitiated, that means with mustard, relish, and onions.)

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Billy Ryan of Dorchester took a picture of the 80 cent price tag on hot dogs advertised on a display to upload onto his Facebook account.

A regular at Sully’s for as long as he can remember, Ryan said an opening weekend dog is something to be memorialized — and bragged about it to friends living out of state.

Brendan Sullivan, Dan’s grandson, now owns the place. It was his father who cut the hot dog prices in half — to 80 cents — during opening weekend as a way to say thank you to customers. And those customers respond in kind, by flocking to the establishment — rain, snow, or shine.

Kellie Keenan of Dorchester wiped down the glass on the doors for Sullivan's.
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BYoon S. Byun/Globe Staff

The weather would not be the barometer for closing-time at Sully’s, said manager Harry Markarian.